Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-25
A NORTHERN TOWN.
BAKMLRFEsT, AND ODD WAYS OF
I.IFE THERE.
The Sun at Midnight Grass That Grows
Only on HousstOps-gternsl Day.

luamHerleSt lctcr.I
There is in mailing n letter ut the
nortbernmost town ID the world q SEN
timental feeling Of satisfaction which
has nothing to do with desire that it
shall arrive sooner at its destination
] bis epistle will accompany me on the
eight-d0y Journey south, and | might
might write it at any time during the
voyage, but / shall take it ashore this
morning and l shall hope that
the Bammerfest post-ofice authorities
will find time to stamp it with their
own postmark. To do this it will be
necessary for them to be awake. re-
member that when I was last in Ham
mcrfcst, at o'clock yesterday morning,
nota soul was stirringin the place. The
long arctic day had tired them out, and
they slept late. myself was tired, for
| lad remained up until 4 to see the
scenery Of the coast but when the
slip dropped anchor in the harbor an
admirable curiosity had urged me to
secure a solitary boatman, who rOwed
me ashore for the sum of p cents.
As ! walked along the main street |
found myself endeavoring to fasten on
my mind the features Of Eammerfest
by n comparison with Tromsoc, the
other city of this Ultima Thule, where
had passed the day before. Tr0msoe
was q cheerful place lying on the slopes
Of q green, billy island by the blue
waters of long sound. Even within
the arctic circle it was a very hot day
there was a luxurious growth Of dwarf
birches and wild cherry trees, and at the
end of every lane there was the back
ground o. green hillside to be seen,
from which the grass seemed to run
down all over tho place, covering the
doorsteps and the walks. In Tromsoe
the houses of people Of fashion were
painted and were two stories high the
habitations of the baser sort were un-
painted and stained brown by the wea-
Tier, and were properly but one storyin
height, though always with double row
of windows, and apparently two floors.
The streets were clean and quiet, for no
wagon ever passed. IS one walked
along by windows left open with q
charming confidence, one was often 50
close TO beds placed in the windows that
one could touch the Counterpart with
ones hand. At either end Of the
straight street which goes the length Of
the town might be seen far away the
most refreshing, cool chains Of snow
mountains closing a vista Of sunny road
and red-roofed church and little waving
green trees on q windy hill in the mid
die distance, at once glazing AMI
soft appearing scene.
Had it not also been sunny at Ham
merfcst I should have been ready to
SILVER with my comparison. The town
seemed TO be band Of little wooden
houses built in a long hall circle round
the larbor under q wall OF cliffs from
which many stones had fallen. II the
grass was everywhere at Iromsoe, the
rocks were everywhere at Hammer
fest, for I Was made conscious OF
them at every turn. When the sun
presently went under cloud and
il grew chilly, I was reminded when
ever looked that was under the cold
and frowuing brow Of q precipce.
Tammerfcst, ] was told, had q West
End, whore the finest houses and the
hotel were, and / proceeded thither
along the middle OF the silent street
On either side ran rows Of houses on
raised bank in Cont OF them was q
narrow sidewalk, to which one might
ascend by occasional flights OF step3;
but the stones OF tie walk were jagged
and dangerous, and The little square
windows were too jealousy higu IN any
case for passer-ly to look in. Among
the many white painted signs hoped to
have found atleast one " Eageri 30 open
Where l might get some coffee and
bread, but in vain; there WAS not q soul
in Hammcrfcst awake. I pinned my
{ ~ Oh that hotel III the Vest lud oil
f1.ch 1 had heard, and went further.
| have never been in Il place so forbid
biug and destitute Of soil for ycgIur3
as this. The only grass grew on the
housetops, forced by the warmer air
from beneath. Taking turn, how
ever, to the left arrived at the thea
trc-a low wooden building forty feet
long-wEoie performances were TO be
gwen once a week in the season." so
notice read. Behind the theatre there
was IN eXpanse OF sEard strewn with
blocks Of sto1e, close under the ciiif
Part OF il was used as a cemetery over
looking the cold arctic Sea, part was
pasture ground for geese and goats. As
I stood there gazing the silence was
broken by hoarse croak, and | per-
coiycd hopping about upon housetop
AID il and ont Of chimney, where ho
presumably kept hoard, large Nor
weeiun crow with black back and gray
breast and legs, Ike respectable gen
tlcman in black coat and smalls. On
Ne same roof q little Kid was eagerly
pastUring. Ia tie road at my feet one
Of the foX-like, sharp-oared reindeer
dogs OF tine Laps was gnawing bone.
There needed only wolf to make two
Aeopian fables complete
After a hali-mile walk [ arrived in
he West End, where | observed that
10 eTass grew upon the roofs OF the
houses. One palace, indeed, haI two
rows OF seven high windows on its side
and two windows ut It's end. The mayor
Of Hamu CREST must, fancy, have L.
SIDED here. Opposite was TO me place
of greater interest the " Hotel OF the
NCrih Pole It's door was open. and
hunger compelled me boldly to iutruio
myself upon its sleeping inmates. In
= room on the right, hung with furs anl
Lapp costumes tor sale, on a large bed
lay n cat surrounded by five blind
kittens newly born. On another door
l read "Spisestue," which L took
TO mean eatIDc-room. In an apart
ment beyond this l found the landlord
and lardlady and four children in all
stages OF undress. They gave me some
very good coffee, and they advised me
in broken English to return to the
boat-stage by a new way along the
wharyes, where l might see the ships.
The ships were mostly Russian from
Archangel and the White Sea, and ex-
perienced q strange sensation of re-
moteness when found that / was una
bic even to read the letters of their
names. Yet among them was a tidy
gunboat which had been cruising in
the Arctic Ocean for the homelike |
object of chasing Norwegian fisher
men from too near the Russian